The BRICS+ Fashion Summit business program features more than 200 speakers from all over the world. They are fashion industry professionals who set the trends for its development in their relevant regions. We asked some of them to size up the Summit’s impact on BRICS+ emerging markets, to talk about fashion development trends in their countries and the contribution made by the textile and garment industry to their national economies.
The fashion industry is relatively new to the Middle East, which is no surprise. After all, the United Arab Emirates, where we organize our events, is only just over 50 years old itself. I have personally brought Fashion Weeks to Dubai since 2014, contributing to the city’s transformation into a global fashion centre. Additionally, we have begun organizing events in Beirut, and I am the president of the local fashion week. We have also held the first Fashion Week in Saudi Arabia. We do not use government funding; everything being supported by our sponsors. I see my global goal in promoting fashion in the Middle East. We invite internationally acknowledged fashion designers and support emerging Arab designers. Even so, I believe fashion is universal and has no boundaries.
Designers in our region focus chiefly on the Arab market, few of them meeting international standards. I would say that the UAE has, maybe, five brands and designers of this caliber, while Lebanon has three. My favorites are the Michael Cinco, Angelo Estera, Amato and EZRA fashion brands. Elie Saab is the most prominent Lebanese designer, but he lives in Paris. In general, I would say that the fashion industry in the Middle East is young but growing.
